Fifth wheel construction



Ocyt. 1.9, 1937'. J. H. KORTERING 2,096,282

., FIFTH WHEEL.y CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 25, 1935 2 Sheelzs-SheelI 1 uTm .Ko'mn Ya f 7U CLMK,

@Tome s J. H. KORTERING FIFTH WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Oct. 19, 1937.

Filed' Deo. 23. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,096,282 FIFTH wasnt/CONSTRUCTION 'Justin n. Kortering, Holland, Mich.

Application December 23, 1935, Serial No. 55,822 13 Claims.' (C1. 28o-33.1)

This invention relates generally to a coupling unit or device and more particularly to a fifth wheel adapted `to be inserted between a pulling unit, as, for instance, a truck and a pulled unit, as, for instance a trailer or a semi-trailer.

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in obtaining the proper connection between units of this character inasmuch as a certain amount of yielding therebetween is necessary in order that the vehicles may follow the road contour, but yet be securely and safely connected together.

The fact that yielding must occur between the vehicles causes heavy strains between the units, especially after some wear occurs, and conse* quently the fifth wheel which is used must be very strong and very positive in its action. Furthermore, it must be so constructed as to eliminate any accidental release.

Thus, it is one aim of my invention to produce va coupling unit or fifth wheel which will not only serve in accomplishing both of the above mentioned functions butv also the unit is economical to manufacture.

One feature of my invention resides in the automatic operation ofthe fifth wheel coupling. This automatic operation occurs after the movement of the releasing lever to a position permitting movement of the locking jaws. The jaws, now unlocked, separate during the outward or releasing movement of the king pin, due to spring tension therebetween. Locking mechanism now holds the jaws of the device in wide open position until the king pin is again inserted therebetween whereupon thisv forcible movement automatically closes the jaws and the automatic locking means retains the jaws positively closed until the releasing lever is again operated.

Another feature of my invention is the novel signalling means which operates after the locking latch itself is in fully locked position upon the releasing lever.

Another feature resides in my construction whereby the king pin is prevented from withdrawal movement even though one of the jaw members becomes completely inoperative. In

other words, my device would operate even 'though the king pin holding part of one of the jaws was removed.

Other advantages and meritorious features will `become apparent and understood as the specific description of this embodiment of this invention f is described.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is an underplan view of my invention as applied to the lower plate of the fifth wheel, the several parts being in locked position whereby the king pin is revolubly retained therein.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view showing tlic coupling mechanism in unlocked position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the pivotal mounting of the manually actuated releasing lever. 10

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View looking toward the end of the releasing lever.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

- Fig, 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 1" l-'I of Fig. 6.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, numeral I il indicates the fifth wheel plate which has tapered sides II mergingv into the king pin releasing slot I2. Reinforcing ribs I3 of proper size and shape, as shown, are placed at the underside of the plate I0.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7 integrally formed depending housings I4 are formed at opposite sides of the plate I0, see Figs. l and 2, and have vopen outer ends which are closed by plates I5 4bodily move relatively to the fifth wheel plate I0. During this movement the rubber disks 2| 4" are distorted and compressed into the adjacent holes and spaces of the metal disks 22.

As will be understood by those skilled in this art the shaft 2D is carried by brackets 25, see Fig. l, and the fifth wheel IU is pivotally mounted upon this shaft 2li.

Referring now to Fig. 3, numeral 26 indicates the vehicle carrying the king pin 2l, this king pin being movable to and from the slot I2. The king pin 2l is locked in the slot by a mechanism now to be described.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, opposing jaws 30 are pivotally mounted onto the plate I0 adjacent opposite sides of the slot I2 as indicated at 3l.

. securely held in locked E recesses arel so formed as .as to overlap whenever the jaws are closed and the lking pin encircled. Thus the king pin .is position. The rear por# tions 33 of each of these jaws have cam surfaces 34 and 35 formed thereon, these surfaces being angularly positioned with respect to each other. A tension spring 36 connects between the rear portions of these jaws and tends to pull them against the stop 31. Thus the parts 32 of the v .jaws are in wide open position ready to receive the king pin. See Fig. 2. V

Intermediate the ends of-the jaws, extensions 38 are formed and these extensions are recessed, respectively as 39 whereby the jaws overlap. Furthermore, the extensions and their respective y mounted in openings extending through certain f the ribs I3 and alined openings in lugs 50.

- These lugs 50 are integral with the plate I 0, and

receive the reduced ends of the members 48 and 49 therein. Springs 52 are positioned between the lugs 50 and the adjacent reciprocating member whereby these members are urged inwardly.

.trailer unit. The king pin 21 is engaged between l cut away at 53,

of the locking means 65 to The inner end of the this curved surface being more vor less 'concentrically formed about the pivot point 3|. Member 49 has` a similarly formed surface 54.

'Ihe enlarged pivoted end 42 of the releasing leverhas a notch 55 formed therein whereby a trip or pawl lever 60, pivotedat 6| onto the plate I0, is urged toward the disk 42, and into engagement with the notch 55 by means of the spring 62.' The opposite end of the trip 60 has a projection 63 locatedin the same plane as the adjacent jaw member 38. See Figs. 2 and 4.

'Ihe manual releasing lever 4|, previously referred to, has a locking means consisting of a locking catch or latch 65 pivoted at 66 and spring urged to operative position by means of the spring 61 acting against the latch 65. .The stop 68 limits the movement of the latch 65. An extension 69 provides' means whereby this locked member may be lifted. Also, a striker is so located as to engage the bell .upon movement operative position.

The operation The several parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 1 when the device is in an operative position, that is, whenever the tractor unit is pulling the the jaws 30 and any lateral movement between these two vehicles is taken care of by the resilient means, see Figs. 6 and '7, this resilient means beingbetween the shaft and the. fifth wheel plate I0.

After the driver has reached his destination, he-raises the locking latch 65 by means of the nger lug 69 and then moves the lever 4| toi the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. This same position is shown in full lines in Fig. 4 andl the attainment of this position causes the-.pawl lever 68 to enter the notch 55 in the disk 42. Thus the lever is held as shown in Fig. 4.

The movement of the lever 4| as just explained to cause the'jaws to member 48 is arcuately 4| is in the position simultaneously turns the extensions 44 and 45 I and this movement causes an outward movement of the reciprocating members 48 and 49 through mediately against the extensions 36 of the jaws.

and thus the jaws remain in locked position. However, as soon as the driver moves the tractor unit forwardly th'e spring 36 causes the jaws to move toward and to the position shownin Fig. Just before they reach this position, the tripping of the pawl lever 60 occurs by engagement of one of the jaws against the lug 63. I See Fig. 4. 'I'his causes release of the lever 66 from the notch 55 and immediately the springs 52 become effective to position the reciprocating members 48 and 49 inwardly against the surfaces.35 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The stop 31 limits this opening movement of the jaw 'I'he jaws are now in open position and ready to receive the king pin of the pulled unit, probably carrying a new load of merchandise therein. The

king pin enters between' the jaws 30 and forcibly abuts the extensions'38 and turns the jaws and thus 'moves the surfaces 35 at the rear portions of the jaws against the reciprocating members 46' During the inward movement of the reciproeating members 48 and 49. the lever 4| also simultaneously moves and this lever cams against the angularly located edgeof the locking latch 65 and thus raises the same until the releasing lever shown in Fig. 1. The reciprocating members 48 and 49 are positionedas shown in Fig. 1 and thus the jaws are positively locked in position. When the lever is positioned as shown in Fig. 1 the locking latch 65 drops and is urged downwardly by a spring 61 causing the striker 10 t'o hit the bell 15 and gives the driver an audible signal that the load is securely attached and that the releasing lever is also securely lockedy disk, one-half inch or an inch greater and thus the head I5 is placed in position `under pressure exerted by the studs I6. The head l5 is grooved as shown in Fig. 6, in order to prevent the surplus of rubber of adjacent rubber disk 2| from entering between the head' I5 casing. Y

In operationf the head 15, see Figs. 1 and 6, bears against the adjacent 25 and thus the nfth wheel plate I6 is held against lateral or v sidewise possible in my. construction inasmuch asthe relative positioning of the king pin z'lnd the adand the end of the' 70 supporting standards Y ng movement.' This is jacent pivots 3|, being substantially in line laterally as s hown in Fig. 1, having sufficient strength to resist initially any tendency toward lateral movement. Thus the lateral movement of the king pin exerts forces which are carried directly by the pivots 3| with practically no turning movement and therefore it is not necessary to cushion the lateral forces between the king pin and the tractor unit.

The stop 31 carries direct forward or overrunning movement of the pulled unit through the extensions 38, these being under only compressive stress and thus an exceedingly sturdy construction in this regard is had.

Yet another feature present in my invention resides in* the relatively longbearing length hetween the cross shaft 20 and the'casing carrying the series of disks whereby an appreciably greater factor of safety is` obtained. Thisconstruction is permissible on account of the particular jaw construction which is such as to permit these relatively long bearing surfaces.

The nature and scope of the invention are set forth in the above specification, taken with the drawings, showing the construction in which the principle of my invention is embodied; and the novel features thereof are specified inthe appended claims. But this disclosure is explanatory only and I may in practice vary the structural details actually shown, without departing from the spirit of the invention, to the full extent indicated by the broad and general meaning of the terms in whichthe appended claims are expressed.

I claim:

1.l A fifth wheel construction comprising a first means movable to encircle a king pin, locking means slidable to and from engagement with said rst means whereby the same is locked or released, a third means manually operable to withdraw the locking means for engaging position, a pawl associated with the third means to hold the same in its withdrawn position and a fifth means acting upon the pawl to release the same, said first means acting upon the fifth means when the king pin is substantially released from the said first means.

2. A fth whe'el construction as set forth in claim l in which said third means has a latch therefor to hold it in a position wherein the locking means is in engaging position, said latch having a cam surface engageable by the third means moving to its locked position to cause movement of the latch to holding position.

3. A fth wheel construction comprising, a plate having a slot into -which a king pin is adapted `to move, two jaws, one jaw being pivoted near one side of said slot and the other jaw pivoted at the other side of said slot, said jaws having means on one side of their pivots to engage the king pin and having spaced apart surfaces at the opposite sides of their pivots, sliding means adjacent each jaw, said sliding means contacting said surfaces on the jaws to hold them in a locked position, spring means for urging the sliding means to locked position, means for opening thejaws to receive the king pin, lever means for moving the sliding means to a wide open position against the action of the said spring means whereby the said sliding means are free from the said jaws, automatic locking means for holding the lever means and the sliding means in wide open position, said automatic locking means being released by opening movement of the said jaws to permit a limited expansive movement of the said spring means whereby the sliding means engagesthe jaws to hold them in open position.

4. In combination, a fifth wheel plate adapted to receive a king pin, opposed jaws intermediately pivoted to engage the king pin at one end and having surfaces at right angles, approximately, at the other end, one pair of said surfaces being substantially in alinement when the jaws are in closed position, alined sliding means adapted to move in adjacent relationship to said alined surfaces to prevent opening of the jaws, means to move the said sliding means away from the jaws, latch means to hold said moving means in its released position, means on one of said jaws adapted to contact with the latch means at a predetermined point to release the same, said sliding means contacting the second mentioned surfaces on the said jaws whenv the said release occurs, to hold the jaws in their open position. f

5. A combination of elements as recited in claim 4 in which an extension is formed on one jaw, said extensionv being engageable by entry of the king -pin whereby release of the sliding means from the second mentioned surfaces on the said jaws occurs.

6. A construction of the class described comprising a pair of jaws adapted to receive a king pin, said jaws being movable to open and closed positions, means for locking said jaws in closed position, manual means, having a shoulder therein, for moving said locking means -to an unlocked position out of the path of movement of said jaws, yieldable means acting to move said locking means to locking position, a latch abutting the shoulder of said manual means and acting to retain said locking means in' unlocked position, said latch being slid laterally from the shoulder by "movement of said jaws to open posi- 7. A construction of the class described comprising a jaw cooperatively associated with a king pin, said jaw being movable to open or closed position, means for locking said jaw in closed position, manual means for moving said locking means out of the path of movement of the said jaw, yieldable means acting to move said locking means to locking position, a latch associated with the manual means and locking means to maintain the locking means in retracted position and means, operated by opening movement of the jaw, for tripping said latch to immediately permit said locking means to enter the path of said jaw, said jaw having a cam surface thereon contacted by the said locking means, the shape thereof being such that the jaw is urged to its open position.

8. A fifth wheel construction comprising, a plate having a slot into which a king pin is adapted to move, a jaw member pivoted intermediate its -ends upon the said plate, said jaw member having one end movable from an encircling position relative to the said king pin to an unlocked position in which said king pin may be withdrawn from the said slot, said jaw member having, on its other end, a surface extending at right angles, substantially, to the path of movement of the king pin along said slot, locking means slidable to and from facing contact with the said surface, spring means for urging the locking means to contacting position, means for h moving said locking means out of contact with the said surface, a latch cooperatively associated with the locking means to hold it in its retracted position, said jaw member contacting said latch to release the same when the jaw member is moved to an unlocked position, stop means adjaattached to the jaws to tend to open them where.

portion extending in the sliding path of the locking means when turned to its unlocked position,

said locking means contacting the jaw member as aforesaid to maintain it in unlocked position. 9. A combination of,elements as set forth in claim 6 in which one of the jaws is cam shaped as to contact the king pin during a portion of its outward movement whereby the latch is positively slid from said shoulder.

10. A combination of elements as set forth in claim 6 in which one of the jaws is cani shaped as to contact the king pin during a portion of 4its outward movement whereby the latch is positively slidy from said shoulder andy yieldable me by the latch may be released. v

11. A combination of elements as set forth in claim 6 in which means is provided for holding the jaws in wide open position, said means including the aforesaid yieldable means and providing for compressing thereof prior to release of the said holding means.

12. A iifth wheel construction comprising a plate having a slot into which a king pin is adaptedto move, two jaws.l one jaw beingintiermedi-l ately pivoted near one side'of said slot and the other jaw intermediately pivoted .at the other side of said slot, said jaws being swingable to overlapping relationship, the adjacent ends of the jaws being recessed to receive the said king pin therebetween, said pivots being spaced suiciently to permit the king pin to be located substantially in the said straight line therewith when 4the jaws are moved to their closed position, said Jaws having hat back 'surfaces which are in alined position when, the Jaws are swung to their closed position, a member having a straight surface against which theaioresaid alined jaw surfaces bear when the jaws are swung to their closed position and lockingmeans for holding the jaws in their closed position.` f

13. A combination of elements as set forth in claim 12 in which the `said locking means com'- prises second surfaces on the jaws at the ends opposite to the recessed king pin receiving ends, said surfaces being alined when the jawst'are in closed position, an abutment spaced from each of the said second surfaces and meansadapted to be interposed between said abutments and the saidsurfaces.

JUSTIN H. KORTERING. 

